Chapter 246



Nora was about to respond when Iris continued.

“Do you know how I got my pot with ‘A Flash of Blood’? It was actually my son who gave it to me for my birthday….. I know he did it so I could pour all my feelings into the flowers, but what he doesn’t know is that I didn’t really like orchids in the past. I found gardening very annoying, but in order to take care of that pot of flowers, I bought a bunch of orchids to learn and gain some experience. Over the years, I have killed many orchids while trying to care for them. I still remember the first flower pot I killed was…”

Nora: “…”

She fell silent and listened quietly.

She knew that what Iris needed at that moment was someone to listen to her; she needed to vent some of her emotions.

She talked about many things and Nora looked at her seriously.

She didn’t find her annoying. After all, she couldn’t be bothered by such a lovely face. He could look at her all day long without any trouble.

Iris talked mostly about fragments of her life with her son. Through her words, Nora could tell more or less where she stood.

For some reason, she and her son lived apart.

Also, they didn’t get along very well and her son rarely visited her. She could tell because she only talked about how her son had grown up, but never about how they spent time together.

Iris talked for two hours. Finally, her throat went dry and Mrs. Landis brought them some fruit tea. She took a sip and said in a husky voice, “Do you dislike my being so tidy, Miss Smith? It’s been a long time since I’ve talked so much.”

“… No, I don’t mind. Feel free to continue,” Nora replied.

Iris, “…”

I had never seen such a calm and beautiful girl with such a carefree attitude. In particular, whenever she mentioned how she had accidentally killed an orchid, Nora always intervened with a sentence or two, and taught her the methods she could have used to save the flowers at the time….

She also learned a lot about orchid care during the chat.

The more they chatted, the better they got along. Finally, Iris suggested, “We seem to get along just fine to me, Miss Smith, why don’t we become a sworn family.”

Iris was about to suggest taking her as her goddaughter when Nora replied, “Sure, sworn sisters.”

Iris, “?”

She was stunned for a moment. Then she burst out laughing and said, “I’m almost fifty, how can you call me a sworn sister?”

Nora was taken aback for a moment. She looked at the lovely, pretty face before her: the years didn’t seem to have left any mark on her face. She couldn’t help but say, “She looks too young.”

Needless to say, Iris was delighted with the compliment. She touched her cheek and said, “You’re pretty young yourself, aren’t you, in your twenties now?”

Nora laughed. “My son is already five this year.”

… Son?

Iris gasped. “But you’re so young! And yet you already have a son?”.

Nora nodded her head.

Iris asked, “Where is he?”

Nora nodded to Villa No. 10 with her chin and replied, “He’s at my friend’s house.”

Iris immediately stood up. “Really, why don’t you take me to him? As his madri… Aunt, I should visit him too!”

Nora, “…”

She thought about how Pete was trying to hide, and knew at once that he might know the lady in front of her, and that he did not wish to meet with her yet. Therefore, she said, “Forget it. He’s shy.”

Iris didn’t force it either. “All right. I’ll let you meet my son the next time you come, sister.”

Nora smiled and stood up. “Sure. It’s getting late, I have to get back.”

Iris walked her to the door.

When the two reached the door, Nora suddenly stopped and looked at her. She said, “Sister, sometimes what matters most between two people is really trust. You may be protecting your son in your own way, but what if your son no longer needs you to protect him?”

Iris froze in place, stunned.

The girl in front of her was simply too perceptive. She hadn’t even mentioned a word about what had led to the current situation, but had only spoken briefly about how she related to her son, AND yet she had deduced it!

He stared at Nora blankly.

Nora looked down, nodded at her and walked away.

Iris clenched her fists tightly as she looked at the girl’s slender, frail form.

At some point, Mrs. Landis came up behind her and said, “Miss Smith is right, ma’am…. You have already made so many sacrifices for so many years. It’s time to tell Mr. Justin the truth. He oversees the Hunts now, and he is no longer the boy who needed your protection back then…”

A stunned Iris turned around and looked at Mrs. Landis. Finally, she let out a sigh. “Even if I tell you now, would you be willing to believe me?”

Mrs. Landis was stunned.

To keep her distance from Justin, Iris had always treated him in a very cold and distant manner for the past two decades.

How could two decades of estrangement be easily explained with a few words?

Mrs. Landis sighed.

Iris turned and walked back into the room. “I’ve already spent over twenty years like this-why bother making trouble for him now?”

Mrs. Landis was silent for a long time as she watched Iris from behind.

To be honest, the lady also longed for Justin’s forgiveness, didn’t she?

She just wasn’t willing to tell him, nor did she know how. In fact, she had grown accustomed to speaking coldly over the years and no longer knew how to speak warmly to anyone.

Mrs. Landis lowered her head.

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

Nora took Pete to the car after returning to Tanya’s house.

Tanya reluctantly accompanied them. “Don’t go guys. This place is so big, but I’m the only one here…. I’m scared.”

Nora raised her eyebrows. “How about you come to the Anderson’s with us then?”.

Tanya, “?”

She had officially moved out today, why would she move back in and follow them back?

The corners of her lips tightened a little and she finally left the car door. She looked at Nora and said, “Damn, you’re so heartless! Besides, what’s so great about the Anderson villa that you have to come back?”.

Nora yawned. “The bed there is pretty good.”

“…”

After saying goodbye to the two, a very resentful Tanya returned to her villa.

After watching Tanya enter the villa through the rearview mirror, Pete finally asked, “Mommy, how was your talk with the ab…. with the lady who lives next door?”

Grandma was really strange. She sure didn’t intimidate Mommy, did she?

As soon as she thought about it, Nora replied, “Well, we got along great. We’re sworn sisters now, so from now on she’s your godmother aunt.”

Pete was filled with questions as he listened to her: ????

How had Grandma become his aunt?

What had happened between Mom and Grandma?

As Pete was filled with doubt, the car drove back to the Andersons’ house.

After parking, Nora got out of the car with her phone. She completely ignored Pete in the back who was getting out of the tall car and tiptoeing to close the door.

She was responding to her newly-minted sister’s text message: ‘I’m home.

Iris: ‘Glad to hear you made it home safely. I’m so glad to meet you.’

Nora paused… Then she suddenly smiled and wrote: ‘My name is Nora Smith, by the way.

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